The Common Thread

It's about learning how to live. Four college students meet by coincidence and discover life's little secrets. Ella, Garrett, Kim and Matt learn that sometimes, you just have to let go. Take chances, be spontaneous, and whatever you do, don't hold back. (This is a revision of my other novel: Beautiful Serenity)

Chapters:

����������� Ever since Ella could remember, her mom had been
having epileptic seizures.� They were never predictable, but
usually fairly easy to manage.

��������� "She just had another seizure, but this one's a little
more serious." That was what�Ella's dad had said that night he
called�her about her mom.

����������� She told him she was on her way,�hung up the phone,
pulled on jeans and a T-shirt, and grabbed her purse.� Kim, whom
Ella had completely ignored for the past few minutes, sleepily
asked her what her dad had said.

����������� "I have to go see my mom.� She's in the hospital. One
of her seizures...this time it was bad."
����������� "Well I hope she'll be okay."

����������� "Yea that makes two of us.� I gotta run. I'm not sure
when I'll be back. Bye Kim."

������������ And before Kim could say anything else Ella ran out
the door.

~

����������� The second she walked into the hospital room, Ella
could tell there was something different about her mother.� She
looked paler than usual, weak, as if barely clinging on to life.�
Seeing her mom after she had just had a seizure was nothing new,
yet this time it wasn't quite the same.� Her health appeared
undeniably fragile.

����������� "Mommy I love you so much!� I don't want you to ever
scare me this bad again," Ella cried, wrapping her arms around
her ill mother.

����������� "Baby, don't worry so much.� I'm still around and
I'll be fine in just a couple days." In their relationship,
Ella's mom was always the one who didn't take things so
seriously.� She was always joking and leaving the worrying to her
daughter.

����������� "You know I'll always worry about you Mom, especially
when you're not healthy. I just hope there's nothing else wrong
with you.� I don't know what I could ever do without you."

����������� "Elle, that's crazy talk!" She took a deep breath,
preparing to be serious for a moment.� "Just remember I love you
more than you can ever imagine.� No matter where you are, I'm
there too. You okay hon?� Come on, be happy.� Celebrate life,"
her mom said smiling, while squeezing Ella's hand and looking
into those warm green eyes.

����������� At that moment a revelation came upon Ella. She
suddenly realized that no matter how many bad things she had
done, or how many arguments she had had with her mother in the
past, her mother now forgave, and forgot, all of it.� Ella
sincerely wished she could take back everything.� She was now
seeing her mother in a whole new light; she wasn't just a woman
who annoyed her daughter constantly, she was a woman who wanted
to get the most out of life and wanted the same for Ella.

����������� She just couldn't stop wondering why it took her so
long to figure this out.� Her mom was a great person - heck she
was even funny and easygoing most of the time.� Maybe it
was high school and just being a teenager that caused her
strenuous relationship with her mom.� Regardless, she couldn't
wait until her mom went home from the hospital and they could
begin again, fresh, without regret, with hopes for the future
instead. Maybe going to college and having a break from the
family for a while has actually been a good thing, she
thought.� Not having to depend on her parents for
everything made them a bit more tolerable.

����������� "Hey Angie, Elle has some good news to tell us," Ella
heard her father announcing, awakening her from her momentary
daydream.�

����������� "Yup. I sure do. You guys know how I've been looking
for a part-time job recently and�applied to several places,
right?� Well, I got the job I really wanted - tutoring middle
school kids in English on the weekends.� I finally have a chance
to really help some kids and share my love of reading and
writing."� Ella honestly was excited about this opportunity -
partially because she could use some extra cash, but mostly
because it seemed like a fun and easy way to kick off her
teaching career.� Little did she know, it wouldn't be exactly as
'easy and fun' as she expected.

����������� "I'm really happy for you hon," said her dad smiling.

����������� "So am I Elle.� I'm sure you'll make an awesome
tutor.� But, just out of curiosity, aren't these the kinds of
kids who fail English and get tutored on the weekends so they
don't fail a grade?� Because if they are, you're in for a
lot of hard work," her mom said. "And believe me, I know
from experience," she added with a wink.

����������� Before, Ella would have rolled her eyes or sighed,
acting like she was embarrassed by her mom.� Now, she just
laughed and said jokingly "Yeah mom, Steven acted like
such a delinquent in middle school." Steven, Ella's 26
year old brother, was no more of a juvenile delinquent than Ella
herself.� A straight-A student, he went to a military college
after high school and was now fighting in Iraq.

����������� "Steven?� I meant you of course." A smile approached
the corners of Angie's mouth.

����������� "Sure Mom," Ella nodded and smiled.�

����������� "I'm just kidding Sweetie."

����������� Just then the doctor knocked on the door and
proceeded to enter the little room.

����������� "Hi, you must be Angie's daughter. Your mom sure
loves to talk about you. I'm Dr. Briner," the doctor said,
reaching out to shake Ella's hand.� Right off Ella could tell he
was an affable person.� He was tall, with graying hair and
glasses, probably in his late 40's or early 50's, wearing a
genuine smile that showed off his straight white teeth.

����������� "Nice to meet you Dr. Briner."

����������� "Pleasure's all mine darlin'.� So, why don't we get
right down to business, okay?� Well, Ella, David, it looks like
Angie will be ready to go home tomorrow.� She'll be all right,
but not totally back to normal for a while.� It's probably going
to be at least two weeks before she completely regains her
strength.� Just make sure she gets a lot of rest."

����������� "So in other words, I can't go bungee jumping or rock
climbing for a while, right doctor?" Angie asked teasingly, even
though she enjoyed doing both of those activities.

����������� "Exactly my point," said Dr. Briner.

����������� "So did you determine why this one seizure was so
much worse than usual doctor?" questioned David, back to the
serious issue at hand.

����������� "We think it was triggered by a lot of stress she's
been under lately...which is why it is essential that
she must relax for a good long time - no work, shopping, or
anything strenuous for two weeks.� She's too fragile for
that."��������

����������� "Well then, I can assure you that she will be
completely taken care of for the next few weeks."

����������� "With my help on the weekends," added Ella.

����������� On that note Dr. Briner said good-bye to the family,
smiled once more, and left the room to move on to his next
patient.

~

����������� Just six hours later, at 7:00am, Ella woke up and
realized she was still at the hospital.� It was only Wednesday
and although she had several assignments due back at Harvard,
being with her family was more important.� Last night Ella and
her dad had decided that she would go back to school the
following night- tonight - and if anything happened with her
mother's condition he would notify her immediately.

����������� Ella yawned, stretching her arms and getting up out
of that not-so-comfortable hospital armchair, one of an ugly
mustardy yellow color.� She glanced toward the bed, saw her mom
sound asleep, observed her father snoring in a chair on the other
side of the room, and decided she needed a breath of fresh air.�
She quietly walked towards the door and slipped out into the
hallway.� Feeling groggy, she thought it would be wise to go
downstairs and get a cup of tea to put some caffeine in her
system - most people would have wanted coffee but Ella hated its
taste.

����������� She stepped into the elevator, feeling like the only
person awake on the fifth floor.� Pressing the button for the
ground level, Ella leaned her head against the wall behind her.�
She heard the ding, then stepped carelessly out, not realizing
there was a guy heading directly towards her, a cup of something
in his hand.